Sophie

The Incredible True Adventures of the Castaway Dog

The story that became a global sensation: Sophie, the Australian cattle dog who was lost at sea and swam six miles through shark-infested waters to a remote island where she survived in the wild for five months. It was just another day in paradise as Jan and Dave Griffith, along with their blue cattle dog, Sophie, motored out of Mackay Marina for a gorgeous weekend at sea. But when the sky suddenly darkened and the waves turned fierce, the unthinkable happened: Sophie disappeared overboard. Her heartbroken humans couldn't fathom the loss and could only hope their beloved pet didn't suffer. But this true cattle dog and devoted best friend wasn't going to give up that easily--and what followed is a remarkable tale of survival, luck, and persistence. From the first day the Griffiths set eyes on puppy Sophie through that terrible October day she was lost, to Sophie's time as a castaway and the reunion that almost didn't happen, journalist Emma Pearse recreates the incredible journey of this canine Robinson Crusoe. An inspirational story of loyalty and the resilience of the spirit, Sophie offers undeniable proof about the unbreakable bond between humans and our pets--and that if lost, they would do anything to come home to us.

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I have to agree with many others who reviewed this story--5 stars for the dog, Sophie, and 2 stars for the book. The writing style had all the hype and upbeat tone of a newspaper article but was inappropriate for a book, especially one that dragged on this long. The story digressed into way too many unnecessary details (do we really need to know or care that the two youngest Griffith children were not planned pregnancies?).

The most important thing that the reader wants to learn--how did Sophie survive on her own for so many months?--is something that none of us will ever know, and as soon as I realized the book had no insights to offer I lost even more interest. While I was delighted to read all about Sophie, who sounds like a truly clever and loving dog, I did not warm to the Griffith family. The book also never answered the one burning question I had about Sophie's return to home: do the Griffiths ever take her out in the boat anymore, and if they do what measures do they take to ensure her safety? Maybe I am better off not knowing the answer to that one.